Kaya settled the last garnish on the plates at 11:50.
It would take, in her estimations, approximately ten minutes to make it all the way up to the CEO's office. If he insisted on prompt timing, Kaya would be prompt. She would stick to their contract, to the letter.
Kaya wheeled the cart into Tobin's office at 11:58.
Tobin glanced up from the papers in front of him. "You're timely. His door is open, go on in."
Without a word, Kaya lifted a plate from the cart and set it on Tobin's desk.
Tobin paused again. "What is this?"
"Your lunch. No need to thank me, it's on Mr. Lee's dime."
"He won't be happy about that."
"He told me there was no need to be frugal with his money." Kaya shrugged, turned the cart, and wheeled it to Ransom's door.
She knocked once, then opened the door and wheeled the cart inside.
Ransom held up a finger to tell her to wait a minute. Understandable, due to the phone in his hand.
"Yes, I understand. Thank you. Yes. We'll be in touch." Ransom set the phone down and stood to his feet. "Punctual."
"I can't break the contract on the first day, can I?" Kaya said in her sweetest voice. She didn't know what it was about Ransom that made her want to rebel, but she couldn't help it.
Ransom rounded his desk and headed straight for the cart. He stopped to stare at Kaya.
"What?" Kaya folded her arms.
Ransom chuckled, reached into a pocket, and produced a handkerchief. "You have flower on your cheek. The right one." He held the handkerchief out.
"The Ransom Lee I know would have just wiped it off himself." This new behavior confused Kaya, who thought she had him figured out.
Ransom shrugged. "I considered it, but I thought Tobin might need you with a functioning brain this afternoon. Was I wrong? Should I?"
Kaya snatched the handkerchief. "No thank you."
"What have you made?"
"Hand pies." Kaya brushed at her cheek with the handkerchief. "Loaded potato hand pies. I was going to add meat, but there didn't seem to be any to your taste in the kitchen. I'll do better next time."
Ransom lifted the lid off the plate, closed his eyes, and inhaled. "I will admit I've never eaten something such as this, but as you made it, I'm sure it will be fine. Your scones tasted decent, so this must be as good if not better."
Kaya paused, her hand dropped from her cheek. "You... liked the scones?"
"I ate them, didn't I?"
"You ate a bite of them."
"I didn't want to seem a glutton in front of my employees. They weren't bad."
Kaya pressed her lips together to hold back her smile. She should have known it. Ransom Lee would avoid anything he didn't like.
"May I ask a question?"
Ransom reached for one of the hand pies. "Say it."
"Why don't you eat sweet things? The people in the kitchen said that you can tell if anything sweet has been added."
Ransom sighed, weighed the pie in his hand, and shook his head. "I have my reasons. I don't like sweet things." He took the pie and retreated to his desk.
Kaya tilted her head, wondering what could cause someone as self-aware as Ransom Lee to feel insecure.
"If there's nothing else, I'll go help Tobin now."
"After lunch. Make sure you eat." Ransom dismissed Kaya with a wave of his hand.
Kaya gave a sarcastic bow. She should have known it wasn't insecurity that drove Ransom behind his desk. She left the cart, hoping he would eat more than one pie, and took her leave. It would be a long, hard road to deciphering her new boss, but Kaya found it an interesting challenge.
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Author's Note:
Everyone, thank you so much for our first 1,000 reads! I cannot express how grateful I am that you all like Sweet and Spicy so much. I hope you continue to show lots of love and support in the future, both for Sweet and Spicy and other stories I write. Again, thank you so much! I appreciate all of you!
- Megan